2019 Summer League: Format & Playing Rules

Jul 3, 2019 3:33 PM ET

2019 NBA SUMMER LEAGUE: FORMAT & PLAYING RULES

Format Summary

Each team will play a minimum of five games in the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League

Each team will play four games (July 5-11) in the preliminary round and the top eight seeded teams will participate in a single elimination tournament (July 13 to 15) on the basis of the results of the preliminary round

Each of the remaining 24 teams will participate in a consolation game (July 12 to 13)

Seeding for the tournament will be determined by record with ties being broken using the tie-break criteria described below

The tournament will consist of three single elimination rounds to determine the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League Champion

Tie-Break Criteria

In the case of a tie (two teams or more than two teams) in preliminary round, the below criteria will be utilized in the following order:

Point differential: The team with the better net result of total points scored less total points allowed against all opponents receives the higher seed

Random drawing: Higher seed shall be determined by a “coin-flip”

* * *

> PLAYING RULES

1. All Games Except Tournament Play in Las Vegas

The following rules apply to all NBA summer league games in 2019, except those played during the tournament games at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas:

The game consists of four 10-minute quarters in regulation.

Halftime lasts 8 minutes.

Both teams are allowed a 10-minute warm-up period prior to the start of each game.

A team reaches the penalty either on its 10th team foul or 2nd team foul in the last two minutes of each period.

A player fouls out once he commits his 10th personal foul.

Each team has two full timeouts per half.

A mandatory timeout will be taken at the first stoppage of play after the 5:59- and 2:59-mark of each period.

A timeout taken by a team will negate the next mandatory timeout due in that period (although a mandatory timeout will not count against a team’s timeout total if it occurs prior to either team calling its first timeout of the half).

Timeouts do not carry over to the second half.

All timeouts will last one minute and 45 seconds.

In overtime, the initial period lasts two minutes and, if necessary, the second overtime period is sudden death (i.e., the first team to score a point wins); each team is allowed one timeout in each overtime period (regardless of how many timeouts a team called in the second half or, if applicable, initial overtime period); and the free throw penalty begins on the 2nd team foul in each overtime period.

A heightened penalty will be assessed in the event of a defensive take foul intended to stop a transition scoring opportunity by the offensive team occurs.

Each team is allowed one Coach’s Challenge during the entire game. If a team’s initial challenge is successful, it will retain its timeout (but not the challenge).

The Replay Center will be initiating and determining the outcome of certain replay events in real time. The Replay Center will be permitted to trigger certain instant replay events without the involvement of the on-court referees.

Referees will possess the sole and exclusive ability to initiate the following replay triggers at any point during the game:

Player altercation;

The referees are not reasonably certain whether a called foul met the criteria of a flagrant foul;

A field goal is made with no time remaining on the clock at the end of any period;

A foul is called with no time remaining on the clock at the end of any period; and

A play concludes (i) with no time remaining on the clock (0:00) at the end of any period or (ii) at a point when the referees believe that actual time may have expired in any period; and the referees are reasonably certain that the game clock malfunctioned during the play.

The on-court referees will possess the sole and exclusive ability to initiate the following replay triggers during the final two minutes of the fourth period and at any point during overtime:

The referees are not reasonably certain whether a successful field goal was scored correctly as a 2-point or 3-point field goal, or in the case of a called shooting foul, whether the player was attempting a 2-point or 3-point field goal; and

The referees are not reasonably certain whether a successful field goal was released or a called foul was committed prior to the expiration of the 24-second shot clock;

The referees are not reasonably certain as to which team should be awarded possession after a ball becomes out-of-bounds or was called out-of-bounds; and

The referees are not reasonably certain whether a goaltending or basket interference violation was called correctly.

Unless noted otherwise herein, all other NBA rules apply.

2. Tournament Games in Las Vegas

The following rules apply only during the tournament games (including consolation round) at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas: